Getting rid of my smartphone may just save me
Hozan
Veteran
My mobile phone contract is ending and I have made a decision.....i am leaving a bill pay contract to go PAYG ( pay as you go). So firstly its much less expensive.....but an even more important change...im ditching my smartphone for my old nokia i had tucked away in the drawer..i have done a trial with this already and i found it so liberating. My own personal experience is that i have found smartphones increasingly "addictive". When I dont use it for a while I feel my concentration span improves and increases. Instead I will use a home tablet when i need technology and keep the phone simple. Just a phone that can call and text only. How simpler times were in some ways pre smart phone. I work with teenagers and its frightening to see how much of their lives they live out on smartphones. Im not preaching. Im opening the floor for peoples diverse opinions on the matter. I am making a mindful choice to ditch my smartphone for my own personal situation. I am not "preaching" its what people should do.....crazy stats I read recently about number of people injured each year due to being glued to smartphone screen...selfie accidents and fatalities.
P.s i am not anti technology. Its mindful use of technology that works.....but I see a fallout from smartphone addiction on the horizon...
Comments
I am anti-technology.
I was a very late adopter of computers, an extremely late adopter of that piece of tech called "car", and only in the last couple of years got a cell phone that I only use for long road trips, in case of emergencies. No smart phone; don't know how to use it. Have no real use for it. There's nothing wrong with being anti-technology, IMO; it's just a choice.
That said, I'm amazed at this thing called the "internet". It pretty literally contains a whole world, an entire planet, of information in there. Magic! It's like having an encyclopedia at your fingertips--such a precious research and learning tool! A wonderful connect-with-old-friends tool. It's like a miracle.
The important thing is to be mindful of how we spend our time; do you want to spend a significant percentage of this precious lifetime watching TV or cough posting on the internet, or fiddling with smartphone apps, or whatever? Or do you want to maximize your potential for learning, and doing your little piece to move humanity forward or help others? There's only so much time in a day or week; how do you want to spend it? You're wise to notice the addictive potential of your smartphone tool, and to choose a less addictive alternative. This is one way mindfulness works.
I have a 'smartphone' but it's so under-used it's incredible. I use it for:
Ringing people and receiving calls. (more often than not, my Mum and Hubby.)
Texting/receiving texts. (Mostly work colleagues.)
Controlling my bank account
Reading emails. Never sending.
(rarely) As a map/route finder
Occasionally searching for something
Checking this website
Playing a card game. This is undoubtedly my number one usage.
That's already over-doing it for me....
It has so many other possibilities but they're lost on me.
This is my phone at the moment, I can call, send a message, and play snake
I only need to charge the batteries one time in month
This is mine. Calls and texts only
No internet data so nothing else
I mostly use a laptop. I have a smartphone because my kids when they aren't home primarily text and texting with the old school keyboard is ridiculously frustrating for me, lol. I don't use it much for social media and even less for general internet. I use it like 75% for texting with my kids. 20% for random things like games (I think I have 2) and weather apps, and 5% for phone calls. If I had my way (and a different life) I wouldn't have a phone at all. I find them so friggin' irritating. Cell phones are even worse. Now even my parents, they try the home phone. If I don't answer they call my cell. If I don't answer, they text. It's like it's unacceptable to be unavailable the second someone wants to share their random mind diarrhea with you. That is what I hate about them the most. But it's a lifesaver having a kid with diabetes (his insulin pump sends his blood sugars to my phone, so at night at 2am if he goes low, an alarm goes off on my phone to tell me. My monthly cycle is almost over. I've talked 22 minutes on the phone (mostly to my dad) but have 722 text messages. Which is more than my 2 kids combined, lol.
I indeed have overall concerns with them and the amount of use people tend to have. Kids especially. I know kids who can barely read who have smart phones. I don't get it. Our general rule is once you have a driver's permit then you can have a phone unless you are going to get a job and get your own pay as you go phone. My youngest will probably have one earlier because of his diabetes. He's almost 9. Definitely no phone yet.
Edited to add: BTW I think it's really awesome you have found what works for you to decrease what was a problematic issue for you. I think that's awesome! I hope one day I can ditch the phone. My ultimate dream is to be off-grid entirely one day and fully self-sufficient.
I have a landline plus a very old Mac. Still using dial-up. Very simple. Can't yet see the way to be without some sort of device.
Everything in moderation ...No TV...However....
I have a laptop and a phone that likes to keep reminding me that it is much smarter than me...I think they call it a smartphone
Indeed. My gifted mobile phone can only be used to phone the emergency services. No outgoing or incoming calls (no sim card) but on wifi it can be used as a phablet.
In the UK only the very young, very poor or many elderly do not have mobile phone numbers. Que? Social pressure? Some contact is OK @grackle ... but on our terms. Norm is not required.
@lobster. The other day I was listening to a radio program which suggested that many younger people communicate better using devices than actually listening to each other. If this true than using devices for communications seems a social negative.
^^. It has been part of the way of growing up. Teenagers always on the phone, perhaps awkward around maturing peers ...
Don't become a smombie! Put your "I"Phone in a bucket of water and achieve liberation!
@SpinyNorman are you smartphone free?
Yes, partly because I have no idea how to use one.
I seem to spend half my time avoiding collisions with smombies.
Dont ever learn! Stay free!
Smombie's also known as The Head Down Tribe
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone_zombie
I am absolutely not kidding when I tell you that in a recent conversation with my Doctor, she informed me that they had had an alarming rise in young people coming in with neck problems, slipped cervical discs, headaches and posture issues.
She also had to refer two youngsters to an osteopath for help with embryonic arthritis/joint wear in their thumb joints....
I don't know... I'm a fully paid up member of the smartphone Trimble, with about 60 apps on my iPhone 7 although I don't do Facebook or LinkedIn. I very occasionally to a bit of searching through twitter.
The point is, if you are sensible you can life with a smartphone quite easily:
1. Don't smartphone while you have a conversation, it's impolite
2. Don't smartphone while you walk, bicycle or drive, it's unsafe
3. Don't overdo texting or taking photo's, that way lies addiction
A smartphone is a very useful device... maps, timetables, always-on internet, mobile banking, your calendar, your contacts, email, instant messaging... it just really useful to have all of that in your pocket at all times.
It just requires a little bit of discipline to sensibly have in your life.
I agree @kerome, it is a device.
I think they are great. I don't have one apart from the wifi, device - no calls. People give me their old devices and I know how to use them but prefer not to.
Choice.
My phone is call/ texting/ camera/ and I use the notepad, it has a full keyboard and I call it a dumbphone. It's a cheap version of a black berry, I think it's supposed to be able to run apps and I have been able to get online using WiFi but I don't have a data plan, I'm grandfathered in on an old pre data plan that is cheaper.
Recently watched this vlog on John Greene's media diet. It sounds like it is possible somehow to turn a smartphone into a dumb phone so you don't have all the distracting apps.
My wife figured the budget would be less stressed if she took my phone off the contract. So she did. And since I only wanted the phone for car-related emergencies and putting the fire under some forgetful/tardy kids, I haven't missed it ... and when I had it, I resented its poor audio capacities.
I figure the benefit of not relying on electronic gear is that loneliness is reduced. I am not a fan of the loneliness that electronics market so reliably.
It does not help that in young people's lives, that is how they are directed to communicate. Some is choice, but my kids at least actually speak on the phone quite often (more than i do, actually) with their friends rather than just text. But in school, especially in college, a ton of the work is electronic. They use ipads in the classroom (even in our tiny school). They do online classes. Communication with teachers is no longer to stop by after school but to email or text. This is what the teachers request because it saves them time. Notification of activities comes from istagram accounts, even with sports and school-activities like plays. So it's not just them being mindless zombies. This is what we are creating with our instant world right now. I make my kids interact in person, but i can only do so much when the rest of the world is telling them not to. We don't allow phones at meals. When they go to grandma's so spend time with her, the phones stay home. I request in-person meetings with teachers and make my kids come with. But it is like pulling teeth to get people to do so, even people older than me who definitely grew up in a different world. It is very frustrating.
Especially in college! My son pays 3x as much as I did for college (and I went 15 years ago) and half his classes are independent or online. He has to teach himself the material, basically, and turn it in online. Tests are online. Papers are done via email. His public speaking final was on the computer. And it costs $22,000 a year.
But the expectation from employers is not like this in many jobs. It is no wonder so many cannot get employed after college. i can't imagine what it's like to interview a person who has spent the last 6+ years doing all their work on a computer.
Edited to add: My 8 year old had some minor speech stuff to work through. he is done now, but had been working on it the past 2.5 years. His speech therapist lives in Chicago-1000 miles from us. His speech work was done via skype and messenger online on a computer game program.
"If the yogin can stop speaking, He is able to practice Dharma"...Pandita Vimalamitra.
I myself do not have a phone, smart or otherwise and recently had a few months break from the web. Moderation in the world of readily available information....
I have Luddite leanings and will oppose future Borgian trends like the surgical implantation of "I"Phones.
I don't own a smart phone...
http://www.newstatesman.com/science-tech/technology/2017/02/ed-smith-why-you-should-give-your-smartphone
Excellent read. Drugs. Sugar. Smartphones.
I don't use most of the things that people use on their smart phones but I do have one. I don't have a Facebook account, a Twitter account or an Instagram account. Never have and never will. I find these tools useless and time consuming. Honestly, I don't even know how people have the time to live their lives and maintain those types of accounts.
I don't agree with not having a cell phone though. I think that's very dangerous. I think at the very least someone can do pay-as-you-go. This way you can call for help if you're in trouble. There are inexpensive options for people that don't need all those bells and whistles.
I'm with @Tigger on this, I don't use facebook or twitter. I occasionally use my phone for checking my bank account or the web and insight timer. I make calls and texts as well but thats it.
It used to be sex, drugs and rock-and-roll.
I don't think sex is going anywhere, anytime soon
Rock n roll is the new kid on the block so I guess that is most likely to be replaced. Maybe in 20 years we will have sex, drugs and new age music
@Tigger how dangerous is it really, though? Cell phones can be great for sure. But is it really dangerous not to have one, or are we being sold that line? Because until 20 years ago, no one had cell phones. Certainly not like now. And life sure didn't feel more dangerous then. If anything, being more connected has lead to me (and many others I suspect) feeling the world is more dangerous than it is. Can a cell phone be helpful in an emergency? No doubt. But I don't know that I agree that not having one is dangerous. Not being within reach of everyone all the time has become a commodity when it used to be the norm. I miss it. I actually will go hiking and stuff and leave my phone home just so people can't bother me.If anything the constant distraction of it makes things more dangerous. Including just walking.
@Hozan I always find it interesting when someone rails against "digital dope" or whatever else they want to call it while working for exactly that industry and making money writing articles for people to read about it in that same environment they are apparently against, lol. The internet and our addiction to instant information has fueled millions of writers to make money where they never would have. Most likely including this guy. It's like being a drug dealer and laughing at the addicts.
@karasti, perhaps I exaggerated a bit when I said dangerous since that word is a little strong for what I really meant. I remember the glorious days of no cell phones (I actually miss it). What if your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere? what if you were with your partner who was in labour going to the hospital and something happened, what if some maniac was after you, what if your friend was injured and nobody was around. Not having a cell phone in these situations could be dangerous in the sense that more harm could happen. A lot of things happened in the past but that doesn't mean that it was the best thing to do, it was just all we could do at the time. I'd actually be curious to see some statistics on that, if possible. Sometimes lives can be saved if only help arrived seconds or minutes earlier. Although I would feel fine going on a long journey without my phone, I would never let my children or partner do it because you never know.
I live by the saying, better safe than sorry.
I think in average cases though cell phones pose more danger than the lack of them does. I've had my car break down in the middle of no where. On a -30F day. In the early 90s with no cell phones. We used to rely more on people in person rather than just phone calls, and I think that we've lost so much of that is a shame.
Here, actually it is common that those places don't have cell access anyhow. On the 50 mile drive to the nearest bigger town, 20 miles of it has no cell access despite being on a state highway. So I guess it's something I don't entirely rely on so it doesn't bother me as much. I do believe in being safe, I have a personal locator for when I am backwoods camping by myself. But there is no texting and so on, it is to locate emergency assistance and nothing more. I can use it anywhere i want, as it is satellite based, so for strictly emergencies it is a better option than a cell phone.
Like I said, I'm not saying they have no use or value. If I believed that I wouldn't have 4 phones with a $270 phone bill, lol. I just think that the fact we can't think of ways to solve problems without them by relying on other people isn't necessarily one of those values. When my car broke down, I walked a mile to the nearest house and used their phone. I actually had to know phone numbers, which is another skill we have lost. I couldn't tell you my dad's number, and I talk to him every day.
I agree with that. I'm sure that cell phones do pose more of a risk than help but I am looking at it from a common sense perspective. I don't include people that choose to text and drive or talk on the phone and drive but you're right, they should be included and they sort of ruin my point.
Good point for those situations where you're deep in the woods.
That's awesome that you go camping by yourself. I don't think I could do that
LOL
I disagree, If used correctly, it is a value. I have no issue whatsoever calling for help if some maniac is after me or my car broke down. I don't really understand why we would want to do anything else.
But was that really ideal. I can't imagine that you would have said to yourself, "I'm glad I don't have a cell phone because this walk is so refreshing LOL
I'm not saying it was ideal, but I didn't die, and having to walk to get help wasn't dangerous. It was just life. And in many ways it still is that way here because of so much area with no access. It's just you do what you have to do.
I didn't mean that a cell phone used in an emergency isn't a value. I meant a cell used in place of what used to be more frequent, in-person, or even just verbal communication. Replacing that with a cell isn't a value I like. Most people don't even call anymore. They just text. But we seem to be losing much more in exchange to the point our young people barely know how to hold conversations on the phone or in person because they sit on a couch texting the friends sitting next to them because "it's easier" than speaking. Which I've actually heard them say. Reliance on each other and connection to each other is important. In some ways, the internet specifically has helped connect us more. But I'm not sure the manner (widely and generally speaking) it has done so it desirable, and how we mostly use cell phones largely fits into that. Note that I'm not talking bout people who keep a phone for car issues or emergency or safety. It's the prolifickness of them that I have a problem with and how much they are replacing so much of our human connections. In part because of the fear propogated by our vast internet world, now the people whose door I knocked on that day probably wouldn't even answer.
I think I agree with you but we are looking at it slightly differently. I think I'm thinking of extreme situations and you're thinking about life.
Let me ask you a question though. What if your car didn't break down but you slid on ice and hit a tree or flipped your car. What if you were bleeding profusely and couldn't walk very well or at all. Would you have made it to that house. You could have died (hypothetically speaking of course). Again, I think we agree with each other but are looking at it from different angles.
No, I agree. Of course I'd want a way to call in that or any emergency. But carrying one 24.7 also sort of leaves us in a "i could be a victim of a horrible accident any second!" mindset. Of course that is true. But I just personally don't like to be a slave to my phone in that way so I take my chances and often leave it home. If I didn't have kids, I don't think I'd have a cell phone though. It gives me a lot of piece of mind, especially when they are driving. I don't know how my mom dealt with it taking me hours to drive home during college and never knowing if I'd stopped to eat or what was keeping me. She says it simply didn't occur to her to worry in that way because of course you didn't know anything else. You didn't spend time wishing you could call someone any second you wanted to because you just couldn't. We can't see it otherwise because we have other options now. If i didn't have a family I would probably live in a shack in the woods with no electricity, no internet, and definitely no cell phone, lol. If I fall and bleed to death in the woods, well then I'll be happy to have died there.
I guess in a nutshell I just hate having to keep a phone on me, even though it is of course my choice to do so, that keeps me hanging on the edge of "what if" every second of the day. My major plus is peace of mind having mobile kids, and allowing me to me mobile. If I didn't have a cell phone I'd have to be in the house all day so the school nurse could reach me. I've had a cell now for 21 years, and I can say I have never once used it in anything I would deem an emergency situation. I've used it in many neurotically anxious situations, in which case the phone only makes matters worse as i stare at it waiting for a response and being increasingly anxious every second it doesn't come.
I agree and just so you know, I actually do hate cell phones as much as you might. I remember when I used to drive around in my home town and had to stop at a payphone to make a call. If I leave my house to go somewhere and realise I forgot my cell phone, I don't go back, even if I'll be gone for days because I don't live the kind of life that requires people to contact me for important things. I like to live simple.
Soooo, tell me more about those camping trips you did on your own. What do you do while on these adventures? I like the thought of doing something like that alone but I'm a tiny bit afraid of the dark...can you imagine a 37 year old afraid of the dark. My imagination is just too powerful.
I grew up camping with my family, so it really is second nature to me. I usually take our single kayak and just a few things (hammock, some food, fishing supplies, a good lighter and a hatchet and some eating supplies). You stay pretty busy because either you are starting a fire, keeping it going, fishing, cooking or cleaning up. I go to bed once it gets dark but usually leave the fire smolder. There are lots of creepy noises in the dark, lol. It still creeps me out! But I like the quiet more than I get creeped out I guess. We live on the edge of a protected wilderness that is mostly no-motors travel, so you have to canoe or kayak and get a permit to camp. I usually go myself a couple weekends a year and then we take the kids on a couple trips, too. I go as kind of a mini retreat, no phone. Just my SPOT in case of an emergency. In my little bit of free time I read and meditate on a rock or the beach (if I am so lucky as to have one). I prefer a hammock to a tent because it's just more comfortable. I don't wake up feeling like an 80 year old with an indent from a tree root, and they are much much smaller to haul in a small kayak. I bring a bug net that goes over the hammock, and a tarp in case of rain. One year I went with the idea I would only eat when I could catch. I ate nothing
I very much enjoy the connection to having to provide virtually everything for myself and work for it. It's a lot of work to keep a person alive for even a few days! It's just such a primitive act, I quite enjoy that aspect of it.
I commend you @karasti I don't think I can do that which is too bad because the experience sounds amazing. I would love to go on a retreat like that and live with the wild for a few days - Good on you!
Here, there are women who take other on trips and they all go together. I'm not really guide material, LOL, but they seem to have a blast. I bet there are a lot of those kinds of programs all over
I know our state tries to do a lot to help women to learn woods skills, if they want to. Maybe something similar exists near Toronto. We have several businesses here that offer either rental of all the gear (and food, whatever you want or need really) and they will pack it all for you and everything. They also offer guides that can take a single person or a whole group out whereever and forever how long you want to go. When my dad was a kid, it wasn't a protected area (there are a lot of rules now to prevent overcrowding and noise issues) and he used to go up there in his little wood boat when he was like 12, and set up camp, and then offer to help tourists carry their gear over river rapids and get paid for it, LOL. I can't imagine. I think some stuff like that really does get built into your genes. I can find my way and direction in the woods no problem. I get lost in the city even with a map in hand. Or my gps. Still get lost!
Amazing!
I did a lot of camping with my parents and my dad taught me a lot. He used to wake me up at 5:00am (on vacation mind you) and take me into the woods on hikes to get wood and exercise. I was also in Cubs and Scouts which taught me how to make my own fire and make water proof matches with wax which we would put in old camera film containers, cook water to get rid of bacteria, build shelters from branches, tie knots, ice fish etc. Not sure how much I remember but it was a fantastic experience I wouldn't trade for the world.
Hey lets sit down and discuss this together!
I'm off to South Korea then Vietnam next week and will try and post an image or 2 of a buddhist monastery I'm planning to visit, but am looking at properly detaching from my tech-enabled devices. Looking forward to the retreat!
However, I will probably find I will have to log in to newbuddhist, my email, twatter, faceache, instagramentalinstitution, my central heating, fridge, lights and robotic hoover whilst I'm away... If I'm bored on the journey there I may end up playing candy crush/boom beach or clash of clans to pass the time...
Do you think I should download a book on my kindle?
Please text your suggestions to +44000079584399413. Terms and conditions apply, please refer to your contract provider, as Texts or calls will be charged at £150 per text + your mobile phone provider connection charge. Texts received after I have arrived at my destination will not be responded to but will be charged.
I love that stuff! I guess part of my love for all those traditional things is why I have such a love/hate relationship with the internet and technology. I wonder at the things you can learn about. Almost any question is answerable within seconds! You can teach yourself anything you want to learn, including camping skills. But it sure seems to contribute to fewer people doing such things. I find it all fascinating. I was in girl scouts, and we did some hiking and went to camp but the boys always got to do better things and I was jealous they got to use a bow and bb guns and go to cool camps. They got obstacle courses and we got face painting,
. It was still a really good confidence building activity.
I love connecting with nature in every way I can. Watching so many zone out on phones and ipads while the birds sing and the sun shines and fish jump in the water just makes me sad. Not to mention that people who have never spent time in nature are the ones in charge of making policies that affect it (and us) so much. I doubt Trump has spent a second in a place with a campfire and a tent, but he and his administration and the oil companies are going to tell us climate change isn't real even though you can see it with your eyes if you ever spend time outdoors. The stuff that has changed in 25 years is so drastic. Sigh. Sorry for the rant!
LOL - love it!
Okay, I forgot, this is my weakness and the only game I play on my phone....problem is that I play this game 100 times a day. I logg into it almost every 30minutes, even when I know nothing is happening. Silent Ninja is my name, perhaps you've already destroyed my base....LOL
I would
Is that you in the pic?
Yes. I am level 62! lol!
No its not me in the pic - i'm very OLD!
Nearer 62 than his age!
Wow, Im level 46 right now probably wont bump into you unless you slow down or I speed up and if I speed up that's pretty much all I will be doing #addicted2BoomBeach
LOL